


Every Proper Alpha is Always Fashionably Late

by SillyBlue



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Barista Castiel, College Student Castiel, Fluff, M/M, Omega Castiel, Professor Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 04:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6315061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SillyBlue/pseuds/SillyBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alphas weren’t exactly known for their punctuality, but every morning at 7:45 Dean would come into Castiel’s place of work with a smile just for him. They clearly liked each other. It was just a shame that no matter how great Dean was, he didn’t seem to be able to overcome his proverbial alpha stalling tendencies when it came to asking Castiel out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Proper Alpha is Always Fashionably Late

**Author's Note:**

> This little fic was based on a prompt I received on tumblr! You can find it in the notes at the end of the story!

It was one of the common myths that alphas didn't care about punctuality. Castiel’s grandmother made a hobby out of collecting 19th and early 20th century conduct books (and ridiculing the rules that her generation still had tried to live by). In her favourite book on small alpha wisdoms that every omega should know it said: “An alpha is always fashionably late to engagements. That way he shows himself to be above the common demands of society. Only those alphas with very strong discipline, like military officers, or those who are weak because they let their omegas dictate their day schedule, are ever on time.”

Growing up with 2 alpha parents, 5 alpha siblings and 14 alpha cousins Castiel knew that there was more than a grain of truth to the proverbial alpha tardiness. For family meetings like Christmas this usually meant that grandmother invited everyone a day early to make sure her guests would be there in time for dinner on the next day. Alphas didn’t have to be punctual even if it was highly inconvenient for everyone involved to constantly wait for the stubborn alphas to show up.

College was pretty much the same. Especially the new alpha students had a terribly hard time getting on track with their schedules. Castiel remembered that in his alpha and beta dominated high-school they had a two hour morning class which was usually only visited by omegas. Everyone in class mockingly called it the “alpha grace period” and Castiel used it to learn, do his homework or catch up on sleep himself. When he got into college he had assumed there to be official buffer hours for tardy alphas but that was before he knew that the college was led by Naomi Adler. She was a no-nonsense omega who gave more than one alpha a very rude awakening. There were no more official alpha grace periods and whoever missed a class had to deal with the consequences like an adult.

This meant that in the mornings the coffee shop was full of grumbling, sleepy, disheveled alphas rushing through. Nobody really liked working the “grumpy alpha” morning shift and his boss had resisted putting an omega behind the counter when unbalanced alphas were the major customers. But Castiel needed money and he had the time now, besides, he knew how to handle himself quite well. His boss had relented eventually and now Castiel was again standing behind the counter, preparing a coffee. He had just handed it over by the time the door opened and brought with it the faint scent of Dean.

“Like clockwork,” Castiel thought and checked his watch. At 7:45 Dean Winchester came through the door, carrying a laptop bag. Apart from that first morning where he too had looked less than pleased at being awake, he always was cheerful. Dean had been in every Monday to Thursday at 7:45 sharp since the start of the semester. They were now nearing the end of the semester and Castiel was proud to say that they had become friends.

“Over the counter friends” Castiel’s sister would tease him and it was true to some extent. Castiel never saw Dean outside of the coffee shop and nobody had really made an attempt to change it yet. They were comfortable around each other, having gone from the usual business exchange only to slowly picked up conversations when Castiel didn’t have to deal with customers and when Dean wasn’t busy reading.

“Good morning, Dean,” Castiel said, feeling the usual rush of warmth spread inside his stomach and chest when Dean smiled at him. Dean was what Castiel thought to be the dream type of alpha. The Hollywood display of the alpha gentleman actually. He was tall, with reasonably broad shoulders made to lean against. He was not the beefy type of all-muscle alpha, but one look was enough to tell Castiel that this man was strong. He had a confident posture but the secret smiles over the top of his coffee cup were still shy as if he was afraid to be caught at this display of affection. Dean was affectionate with his brother (he was even taller than Dean with an equally tall girlfriend) and he was kind to Castiel, even though the affection between them was kept to a minimum of soft glances, fingers brushing and hands on shoulders.

There was something between them, Castiel knew it. But neither of them was quite daring enough to take it out of the coffee shop.

“Last day of the semester,” Dean said, startling Castiel out of his reverie. He noticed that he was holding out the cup of coffee to Dean but hadn’t thought to actually let it go. He snapped out of it and handed the coffee to Dean, hoping that even though he was embarrassed it didn’t show too much. Dean chuckled and handed Castiel the money. “You’re really in need of a break too if you space out like that.”

“Apparently,” Castiel said and Dean winked at him before he went to sit in his usual spot in the far corner. According to Dean, it was the best spot for an alpha, giving him the whole view of the place and still being close enough to Castiel to spring up to help and protect him if anything went wrong. That had happened once before, when one hung over alpha thought that he’d have to pester the only unmated omega in the shop. Dean had very quickly stepped in, restrained the alpha and gave Castiel enough time to call security. That had quickly established that Dean really was the kind of disciplined, protective and gentle alpha that Castiel had believed to be Disney movie material. Dean was perfect and if Castiel didn’t know that Dean kept their interaction confined to the neutral ground of the coffee shop, he’d probably try to make a move. Maybe Dean was hesitant because Castiel’s income was rather low and he couldn’t contribute much to their financial stability. Maybe Dean already had a partner (though he wasn’t mated) and flirting was simply in his nature. Maybe Dean didn’t actually want to date an omega. It wasn’t a mind game he really enjoyed because it all ended up with him thinking he wasn’t quite worth the alpha’s attention.

“So what are you doing for the holidays?” Dean wondered when Castiel came to clean the tables close by. There weren’t many customers at the moment, the morning rush being satisfactorily dealt with already. So he took a moment to finish cleaning the table and then sat down opposite Dean. This close he could breathe in the faint traces of Dean’s scent. Even delicate omega noses couldn’t filter much in a small space like this, with the scents of coffee and neutralizing air spray muddling everything. But what Castiel could pick up was comforting. Whatever Dean really smelled like, it was very natural, fresh and clean. Castiel liked that much better than the scents of the other alphas he knew and indefinitely better than the ‘alpha musk’ perfumes many people used.

“Nothing. I have to visit my family and probably help out the one or other sibling. Christmas is always busy and all of them bring work home because apparently that’s what alphas do to signal that they’re good bosses,” Castiel replied eventually, once his mind was back on track. Dean snorted.

“Definitely not if they have other people doing the work for them,” he said and Castiel shrugged. He didn’t mind. He usually got something in return, even if his cousin Gabriel paid him in a box of sex toys and Casa Erotica DVDs once.

“What about you, Dean?” Castiel asked, “will you and Sam celebrate together?” Dean nodded at that.

“We’ll be going to my Mom’s place and stuff ourselves full of her delicious food. But because I’m an alpha I actually take work home with me as well. But I promise I’m doing it myself,” he said with a grin that Castiel met with a smile. He still didn’t know what Dean did. He knew he was working on campus somewhere but Castiel hadn’t seen him anywhere. Castiel liked to imagine that he probably gave some alpha classes. Maybe how to be a gentleman alpha and still be a successful business man. Something strong and prestigious probably. Or maybe he was working in the administration office or the alpha alliance bureau. Castiel had thought about it often, but since Dean never brought it up, Castiel didn’t dare to ask after the initial inquiry was met with some secretive answers.

Dean checked his watch and that signaled Dean’s impending departure. So Castiel cleaned up his table and retreated behind the counter again. Dean smiled at him but other than wish him a good day and depart, Dean hesitated at the door. Something flickered over Dean’s face, insecurity maybe, not an expression that was familiar on Dean’s face. In the end he seemed to make up his mind and came up to the counter again. Castiel’s heartbeat had sped up in anticipation of what was about to happen.

“Listen,” Dean said but nothing more came out. He went through his bag until he found a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote down a number on it and slipped it over the counter towards Castiel. He waited until Castiel took it, then he smiled, rapped his knuckles against the counter and turned around. “Take care, Cas.” Castiel didn’t really manage to say anything in return and almost wrinkled the paper under his hands with the excitement he felt.

He had Dean’s number.

* * *

 

The break passed Castiel in a blur of family gatherings, attempts of his parents to set him up with alphas (to the eternal amusement of his grandmother and frustration of his parents) and work. By the time he was able to get back to his dorm, he felt exhausted. Just the day before he had been surprised by an early heat which wasn’t really all that awkward considering the pills he took suppressed everything. But he still had to deal with some slick production and the usual stomach problems he was prone to get. He was considerably irritated for the first class of the new semester. It was an English literature class and it was expectedly empty and Castiel didn’t see any all too familiar faces. Despite Castiel’s cheery personality (as Gabriel called it) he didn’t really have friends on campus which weren’t related to him. Anna, his sister, was doing her Master’s degree now in journalism and despite all her promises to share some of his classes, she was one of the alphas who really needed her alpha’s grace period in the morning. Castiel had thought about switching to an afternoon class but had ultimately decided against it. Marv’s lectures on English literature might be early in the morning and he wasn’t the best teacher, but he knew how to tell a good story. So Castiel didn’t mind getting up early for this class, but today was testing his patience. He hated heats and the slow hot trickle of slick that made him feel like he was soiling his pants. He was constantly squirming in his seat, looking at the door and wondering if he still had a minute to go to the toilet, so much that the beta in the row before him sent him a disapproving frown. Castiel tried to hold still after that. Two more minutes and Marv would be walking through that door. Castiel took out his phone and sent a displeased message to Dean:

**“I have reached the point in my life where I wish this college was less progressive and gave omegas heat days off without a doctor’s notice.”**

Maybe this was a bit too personal, but Dean usually reacted with amusement and he didn’t shy away from telling him about alpha business either. It’s not like Castiel was shy about his body, growing up with so many nosy alpha siblings was making it hard to be embarrassed about anything. Castiel looked up when the door opened but instead of Marv carrying in a box of books, he saw Dean with his hand on the door frame, glasses perched on his nose and looking at his phone. Even from this distance he could see that Dean’s cheeks were slightly red, but he still closed the door and got up to the desk in the front. Marv’s desk. Castiel was too surprised to say anything but then Dean put down his suitcase and looked up to meet his class and his eyes fell straight on Castiel.

“Uh,” he heard him mutter because the microphone was already on and he made a small gesture with his fingers towards the door, his face a mix of concern and amusement. Castiel however was rather mortified and tried to hide behind his laptop.

At least now he knew that Dean was the new English professor he had heard about. Great.

* * *

 

Dean actually was a great teacher but that didn’t stop Castiel from rushing out of the room without waiting for follow up questions. He knew that the coffee shop was not a good place to hide, but he still got himself a cup of tea and tried to make himself invisible.

“Shouldn’t you be home? I can write you a note to excuse you from classes, you know?”

“I’m fine,” Castiel muttered, resolutely not looking up at Dean. Dean muttered something and then he sat down right next to Cas.

“Are you?” Dean asked and Castiel looked at him out of the corner of his eyes. Dean’s expression told him that he wasn’t really worried at this point and the small smirk made Castiel want to shove him. “Come on, man. You don’t need to be embarrassed. You’ve told me worse things about heats than this.”

“You surprised me,” Castiel said defensively. Dean shrugged at that and then inched a little bit closer to Cas until their sides were touching. Castiel couldn’t keep in the treacherous sigh of relief. Dean smelled good and he was warm and solid.

And his literature professor. This was weird.

“I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me that you were a professor here,” Castiel said, hoping that his tone didn’t come across as too accusing. Dean seemed reasonably embarrassed about it. Good.

“I don’t know. I think because it’s not really a common profession for an alpha. Reading books is hardly the same thing as being the CEO with a six digit pay check,” he explained. Castiel lifted an eyebrow at that. “I thought it wouldn’t really impress you.”

“Of course it impresses me. Everything about you is impressive,” Castiel told him with a frown. Dean blushed at that (he was so beautiful, Castiel could hardly believe it).

“You just say that because you know how big my dick is,” Dean tried to joke.

“I still think drunk you exaggerated.” Dean opened his mouth to protest, but Castiel continued: “and no. I don’t think you’re impressive because you’re apparently well-endowed. You’re my friend and you’re a good teacher. You’re not much older than me and you’re already teaching while I’m still a student. You must have worked hard to get where you are now. It’s maybe not my place to say, but I’m proud of you.” Dean looked at him, obviously surprised, but then his whole face light up in pleasure and he wrapped Castiel in a tight hug.

“Thanks Cas.” Castiel didn’t hesitate to return the hug. It felt so good to be this close to Dean, to press his nose against Dean’s throat, to feel Dean’s hand rub circles against his back. For one moment he forget how he ached or how uncomfortable he was, but then a fresh dribble of slick ruined the moment. He was squirming out of Dean’s arms at the same time he heard Dean inhale.

“I think I should head home and change pads,” Castiel said and Dean let go of him.

“Don’t forget to do your homework,” he told him with a cheeky smile. Castiel rolled his eyes but he couldn’t deny how he enjoyed knowing that they now had a connection that went beyond the coffee shop. Even if it was just a professor-student one.

* * *

 

That Dean was his professor didn’t change anything about their interaction at first. But now that they kept meeting more, their mutual attraction became obvious, even to Castiel who had a habit of doubting people’s interest in him. Dean wasn’t particularly subtle anymore either.

 **“I think we’re good. I mean very good. Couple material. Right? I might be a bit drunk,”** Dean texted him one Friday evening.

 **“Crap I was drunk,”** was his next text and Castiel wasn’t sure if he should feel disheartened by it so he didn’t reply.

“If you weren’t my student I’d ask you out,” Dean told him next Monday, just before class, so Cas was blushing whenever Dean’s eyes fell on him.

So they had ‘not-dates’ in the mornings before Dean’s classes when Castiel had to work and both were longing for the end of the semester. Even if that meant that Castiel had to do his final exams to complete his Bachelor and Dean had almost no time for Castiel.

But sooner or later Castiel shoved his degree into Dean’s face.

“I’m no longer your student,” he said and Dean shoved the paper out of the way to press a kiss to Castiel’s lips. “Will you ask me out now?”

“Will you go on a date with me, Cas?” Dean asked with laughter in his voice and Castiel nodded.

Maybe they were fashionably (irritatingly) late to making their relationship official, but they would have many occasions to make up for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! ♥♥
> 
> The original prompt was: "What about College!Student Castiel, working at the coffee shop just off campus, and Alpha!Dean comes in everyday for a cup of coffee?(He insists Cas makes it best). What if the two become best friends, and even though Dean says he works on campus, Cas has never seen him? Until the first day of the spring semester, Castiel walks in to his English class and sees Dean sitting at the front desk. And then Castiel spends the next 16 weeks teasing Professor Dean, eventually becoming his mate."


End file.
